Summar of ch. 3: Lily encounters Severus, causing quite a bit of drama between the two. Sirius decides to go after an impossible girl, who happens to be one of Lily's best mates. James smokes.

A/N: I really advise that you do not read any of my other stories. PLease. They're really horrible, I promise they are. Anyways, disclaimer: I don't own anything. Onto chapter 4, hopefully will be here in less than a year. Hehe. REVIEW!

Cigarettes and Fire

Sirius

We discussed previously how fate works in funny ways sometimes. It is very true, known to be true at least.

I state this once more because after the arrival at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, all houses made their way to their own common rooms, ready to go to bed after quite an eventful feast.

It was not anything trivial, nothing too drastic. But the feast was quite uncommon like the others held there before.

We figured out in the last chapter that Sirius Black, being the mischievous daredevil he is, decided to take a certain girl somewhere other than the welcome feast.

Although, it was not something abnormal for him to do, as we all know. Just the things that occurred in the time that Sirius Black and Jade Vasquez had slipped away from the feast in order to go to the Astronomy tower.

"Come on, only a little bit farther." Padfoot said.

"We've been walking for ages Sirius, where exactly are we going?"

"We're going to the astronomy tower for some sightseeing."

Jade looked at him, "Black, not to burst your bubble but I've been to the astronomy tower before."

"I know Vasquez, we have astronomy together." He grinned at her, "I'm not really taking you to go sightseeing alright? I have some business up there that I want your help with."

"So you're taking me all the way up to the tower just to set a prank?" She crossed her arms and stopped midway up the stairs.

"Jade, honey-bear, this will be the first prank that we set this year, it really must be spectacular."

"Don't call me 'honey-bear'."

"My apologies...honey-bear."

Jade rolled her eyes and continued up the stairs once more. "Well aren't you coming, Black?" He grinned and followed closely behind her.

Lily

Most did not know, but Lily Evans was quite different than she looked. She had fire.

Not pertaining to her red hair, but to her "spicy" personality as Mary Macdonald said.

Lily Evans had a sort of fire that attracted certain fellows who took an interest in this very fire. She was the sweetest person alive, when she chose to be.

Of course, Lily never insulted any said person, or told them to go away. She never was uncharacteristically mean, but she did have fire.

As she and her three other friends, (for Jade had mysteriously disappeared) entered the Great Hall, ready for another seemingly normal sorting and feast. The gang sat down in their usual spots at the Gryffindor table, and relaxed.

Lily, however, stole a glance in Severus Snape's direction on the far side of the room at the Slytherin table.

This time, upon seeing him with his new Slytherin friends, commonly known as Yaxley, Avery, and Mulciber. For some reason first names were not important in this instance.

She sighed and looked back at her friends, which she decided were more important to devote her attention to than an ex-best mate.

"Lily— how are you doing?" Questioned Marlene.

"Oh, I'm doing just fine Marls, why do you ask?"

"You just seem… distracted."

"Really? I hadn't noticed." Just then, Remus Lupin stepped up to the three girls and sat down next to Lily.

"Hey Lily." He looked to the rest of the girls, "Hullo, girls."

"Remus, I don't mean to be rude but aren't you supposed to be with the rest of your lot?" Dorcas began.

"I'll join them soon, but I wanted to speak with Lily before the sorting started."

"Oh— what is it Remus?" Lily pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and continued, "Is it bad?"

"No, I suppose it isn't, but, have you seen James?"

"No… is something wrong with him?"

"I'm just worried… he sometimes gets like this, sort of… sordid."

"Oh, I don't mind taking the first years to the common room if you want to look for him." She smiled sweetly.

"Thank you Lily." Remus stood up and walked away, waving goodbye to the rest of the group and returning to Peter who sat alone at the other end of the table.

"That was strange." Lily said.

"James is missing? Doesn't seem so strange to me." Mary interjected, "he's probably with Sirius, he's gone too."

"So is Jade." Dorcas added.

"No matter, Potter can do whatever he wants, it's none of my business."

James

James Potter was positively annoyed.

In the moment, it seemed that everything and everyone had the ability to annoy him.

So, he decided, instead of making a debut at the sorting he was going to instead take a walk around the seemingly empty castle known as Hogwarts.

James had originally wanted to take a walk, smoke, and get away from any prying eyes. Simply because solitude was nice.

He had gotten something other than he had planned though. As he made his way down an empty corridor on the second floor, he heard voices.

Quickly and quietly James crept to the wall and peered around the corner of the seemingly empty second floor corridor.

Seeing as James was already annoyed, because of earlier interactions, he decided enough was enough.

James quietly listened and realized these voices came from a few Slytherins, whom he did not like very much.

"What time do we meet?" Avery said.

"Come to the spot at 11, don't get caught." What sounded to be Mulciber let on.

"We'll be there."

James was about to walk away with his new found information, coming up with any possible explanation as to what their conversation meant. But, he was interrupted once more.

"Hello boys."

The third voice sounded to come from a girl. James stopped and moved back to his previous hiding spot against the wall.

"I hope you haven't been discussing too much without me." She continued.

"No of course not." Mulciber added.

"Good."

"We've decided to meet at the hidden pathway- by the armor stands on the fourth floor."

"Very well. Don't be late."

James heard steps, and peered around the corner again, to his surprise the girl was walking straight towards him. He jumped and moved back around the corner again. The girl walked past him, not noticing him hiding in the shadows.

He couldn't see her face very well, for it had been dark, but he did notice her small and petite figure, and long straight hair.

After making sure that nobody else was coming his way James made his departure, thoroughly confused about the conversation he had just heard once more. After a few more minutes of walking through the castle alone, James pondered over the interaction he encountered.

The girl- whoever she may be looked to be a fifth or sixth year, James was sure he had seen her before… maybe on the train… And then James remembered, that was the girl he had seen Lincoln Dearborne run into during the train ride.

He was standing by and saw Dearborne run past him, late to the prefects meeting he supposed. When he saw them both fall and Lincoln rushed off again. She looked nice enough, seemingly timid but not… mysterious as she had just now.

James shook his head, whatever those Slytherins were planning didn't sound too good in his opinion. James took out his new pack of cigarettes and slowly took one out. He just didn't understand why those Slytherins were being so secretive he thought.

Using the tip of his wand James lit the cigarette, something about that whole thing was very, very strange.

Lily, once again

As said before, Lily Evans had fire.

However, this fire that she obtained was not a sort of anger or meanness, it was just another side of her she had yet to show to most.

Because sometimes Lily Evans was simply a teenager.

After leading the first years to the common room on the seventh floor, Lily made her way back down, she did not know exactly why she wanted to be alone, she just did.

Though, as she found herself on the second floor in the eastern corridor Lily stumbled upon a certain character whom she didn't think she'd find.

"Potter?"

James looked up from the smoke he was observing as it snaked its way through the air. "Evans." He said in a monotone voice.

"What are you doing?" She watched the smoke float higher into the air and looked back to James.

"Having a smoke. How about you?"

"I didn't know you smoked." Lily pressed further, "Is this a new habit of yours now?"

"Evans, I've always smoked, I just did it away from you." James expected to hear some sort of reprimand come from Lily, something along the lines of you know those can kill you, Potter.

Instead she shrugged and leaned against the wall next to him. "May I?"

James looked at her quizzically before realizing that she was asking for a drag of his cigarette. He smirked and slowly dropped it into her open hand.

She took a slow drag before letting the smoke out into its misty swirling form in the air. To James' surprise she didn't cough nor choke on the smoke. He raised an eyebrow at her and took back the cigarette.

"Don't act so surprised, Potter, I went through a phase."

He nodded, "I see."

For some reason, James felt surprisingly calm standing next to Lily after school hours. She wasn't yelling at him or rolling her eyes at him this time. Even though she should've been since he was out after 9.

It was just a comfortable silence between two sixteen year olds sharing a burnt out cigarette.

A/N: Wow, I actually quite like what I just did there. Thanks to those who reviews, even if it was only two lol. Anyways chapter 4 yay. It might be shorter than the others, haven't checked yet, sorry if it is, just wanted to get this out. REVIEW PLEASE! :) - Dogfur